Exercise and Massage Therapy
There have been a variety of studies on the effects of massage therapy for athletes. A majority of these studies have given contradictory results. One study comparing professional athletes and controls showed no significant differences in muscle soreness among the groups. Another study comparing professionals with their counterparts showed a significant improvement in muscle soreness for athletes who received massage therapy, however there was no significant improvement for athletes who didn't receive massage. Similar results were observed in another study , which evaluated active athletes against non-athletes.
There aren't enough studies that prove that sports massage actually enhances athletic performance, however, a number of studies show that it might help reduce recovery time for athletes. Researchers discovered that athletes who had been engaged in intense exercise programs had a lower chance of recovering from massage therapy. In another study, athletes who performed a maximum workload protocol were significantly more efficient over those who were not given the Sports massage. Another study found that therapists who massaged sports have a significant impact on the physical performance of overweight adolescents.
A study that examined lactic acid production in the injured and control groups found no difference between the two groups. But, the researchers did conclude that the impact of massage may depend on who the massage was given to. Researchers discovered that lactic acid production was the highest in the group that exercised, and remained at relatively low levels after the session. On the other hand the production of lactic acid was found to be higher in the injured group during exercise, and increased following the exercise. One possible explanation for this is that the elevated lactic acid production may decrease the pain threshold of injured patients and cause a greater perception of effort during exercise.
There are a variety of theories regarding how sport massage could improve athletic performance. Some scientists have suggested that a full stretch of 수원출장 the muscles in the deep of the legs is responsible for athletes' speedier recovery from injury. The same theory proposes that athletes can benefit from stretching the muscles that are superficial to the arms and shoulders to strengthen the muscles. Another theory suggests that athletes who participate in intense sports like competition might be able recover quicker by having their lower muscles smaller and tighter. And a strong abdominal muscle core can help prevent spasms and cramps that occur in athletes during strenuous activity.
Apart from stretching and strengthening of muscles massage therapy can also improve athletes' flexibility. It's been established that muscles become limber and more receptive to training and movement once they're stretched. However as athletes continue to exercise, the muscles eventually get tighter and limit their motion. To relieve this pain in the muscles, athletes must perform exercises to loosen muscles that are tight. Massage therapy can aid in this.
Studies have revealed that during times of exercise that are intense or intense that athletes experience an increase in the production of cortisol. It is a stress hormone that signals physical stress. Studies have proven that cortisol increases the endurance and strength of muscles in low intensity exercise. In the study endurance performance was evaluated prior to and after athletes completed 30 sprints. The sprints were timed to measure muscle twitch activities. The results showed an increase of strength of the muscles after sprints.
The increased muscle strength was due to the higher amount of glycogen found in the muscles. Glycogen is an energy source found in muscles during intense training. When an athlete is exposed to intense physical exertion large amounts of glycogen are released by the body. This allows the athlete to replenish the energy lost during the sprints. Researchers at the University of Northumbria published a study that found that short sprints prior to racing resulted in significant increase of muscle glycogen.
The results of these studies demonstrate that massage therapy for sports can be beneficial for athletes both in and after vigorous exercise. However, one must remember that these studies were conducted on healthy people who are not athletes. If you suffer from any medical condition that affect circulation , like kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, it's recommended to consult your physician prior to beginning any treatment.